CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 143-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2014

RE:    H.B. No. 1652

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1652, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to support the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy by:

     (1)  Establishing a five-year pilot program under which the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy will be financially and managerially autonomous;

     (2)  Establishing the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy Special Fund;

     (3)  Requiring, on January 1, 2015, and January 1 of each of the four years thereafter, the University of Hawaii at Hilo to report to the Legislature on the moneys in the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy Special Fund, including deposits, expenditures, and other transactions;

     (4)  Requiring the College of Pharmacy at the University of Hawaii at Hilo to submit an annual financial and management report to the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii, Governor, and Legislature at least 20 days prior to the convening of each regular session of the Legislature, commencing with the Regular Session of 2015 and ending with the Regular Session of 2019; and

     (5)  Requiring the University of Hawaii System to perform a program evaluation to consider whether the College of Pharmacy should be continued.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended the bill by:

     (1)  Establishing a seven-member University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy Board of Governors, which will serve in an advisory capacity to the Chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Hilo and will report to the University of Hawaii Board of Regents and the Chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Hilo;

     (2)  Codifying the establishment of the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy Pilot Program and University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy Special Fund;

     (3)  Specifying that the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy and University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy Special Fund can receive appropriations from the Legislature;

     (4)  Beginning on January 1, 2015, requiring the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy Board of Governors to report semi-annually to the Legislature on the moneys in the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy Special Fund;

     (5)  Specifying that the University of Hawaii Board of Regents, rather than the University of Hawaii System, must perform a program evaluation to consider whether the College of Pharmacy should be continued;

     (6)  Providing that if the University of Hawaii Board of Regents finds, as a result of its program evaluation, that the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy meets the criteria for success and sustainability, then the terms and conditions of the pilot program must be adopted and implemented as the operational structure for the College of Pharmacy;

     (7)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2014, and establishing a sunset date of June 30, 2019; and

     (8)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     Your Committee notes that funding for the construction of facilities for the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy has been appropriated in the Executive Budget bill, H.B. No. 1700, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1652, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1652, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair	____________________________ ISAAC W. CHOY, Co-Chair
____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Co-Chair	____________________________ SYLVIA LUKE, Co-Chair